Lost Love
by GallifreyanFairytale
Summary: After Belle banishes Gold from Storybrooke, Regina finds her grieving at the town line. BeautyQueen friendship because we don't get enough Belle and Regina in the show.
The pavement has long since dug indents into Belle's palms, but she can't bring herself to move from the town line. The Dark One dagger lies to the right of her, abandoned after Gold crossed into the land without magic.

The sound of high heels on the road brings Belle out of her trance. She's not sure who it could be and her head swivels to see Regina walking towards her, looking at the ground. Her body is shaking, but not from cold. In the silence of night, Belle hears soft crying coming from the direction of the former Evil Queen.

"Regina?" Belle's voice cracks when she speaks and Regina slowly looks up at the librarian.

"What are you doing here?" It's meant to come out harsh, but all of Regina's energy has been drained and she just wants to curl into Robin's arms and sleep peacefully, but Robin is on his way to New York and every time Regina closes her eyes, the events of the day come rushing back to her. And so her eyes have remained open.

"Rumple..." Belle gestures to the dagger and raises a hand to wipe a tear that has rolled down her cheek. Several small black pebbles from the road fall off of her hand and hit the ground.

Regina sits down next to Belle. "Is he gone too?"

Belle simply nods, not wanting to speak. She hangs her head a d expects Regina to come back with snappy words about how Gold was a jerk anyways. But the former Queen surprises her, "I'm sorry. If we could get him back, I would help you."

Belle shakes her head. "It's best that he's gone. He only ever hurt people, you and I included."

"But I shouldn't have hurt you for revenge on him," Regina mutters, twirling a strand of hair around the index finger of her right hand. "I'm sorry for that too."

Belle shrugs. "It's okay."

"No," Regina shakes her head, "it's not. You never did anything to me and I locked you up for over twenty-eight years."

"You've changed," Belle reminds her. "You found love and a family."

Regina lets out a bitter laugh. "Yes, and I've lost it too. For all you know, I could be plotting revenge against Emma for bringing Marian back in the first place."

"But you're not," Belle says, and it's clear she believes what she's saying. "You have Henry still, and I _know_ you have changed completely. Losing Robin won't make you the Evil Queen again, Regina, because if by some miracle he comes back, what would he think?"

"He's not coming back."

Belle smiles a sad smile. The moon is illuminating her hair and making the dark brown shine. She looks over at Regina, "Never lose hope. Because the moment you lose it, the darkness comes in and overtakes you."

Regina stares out across the town line, wanting nothing more to step across it and find Robin. But he has Marian and Roland. _They_ are his family, not her. _Henry_ is her family, and as much as they annoy her, so are the Charmings.

But before Regina replies, she considers Belle's words. Regina expects to be able to argue with them, but she can't. Because if Regina were to pinpoint the moment she swore to get revenge on Snow, it was when Frankenstein wasn't able to bring Daniel back. And although now she knows it was a ploy set up by Rumplestiltskin, that was the moment Regina lost all hope of seeing Daniel again. That was the moment darkness consumed her.

"You're right," Regina quietly gives in. "And Belle, don't you lose hope either. Even if Gold is gone for good and even if it ends up being for the best, you will find your happy ending without him."

"I just wish I knew what my happy ending _was_ ," Belle admits. "I always thought it was Rumple."

"Someone once told me that your happy ending may not always be what you expect," Regina holds a hand out to Belle. "Maybe neither of us knows what our happy ending is, but I know we both have one waiting for us."

Belle places her hand in Regina's and smiles a real smile for the first time since she had banished Gold. "Thank you. We should probably head back."

Regina nods. "Yeah." She stands and helps Belle up as well. "If you ever need something, even just someone to talk to, I'm here."

"Right back at you."

Both women turn their backs on the town line and begin walking back into the heart of Storybrooke.

In what used to be Gold's shop, Belle locks the dagger up and turns to face the clutter of antiques and knick knacks. "Guess this place is mine now," she mutters. "Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop will be open for business again tomorrow morning."

It's nearly midnight when there's a soft knock on the door of the Charmings' apartment. Mary Margaret, who was up trying to get Neal to sleep, opens the door and is surprised to see Regina. "Regina?"

"Hey," the former Evil Queen replies quietly. "I know it's late, but-"

Footsteps interrupt Regina as Henry walks down the stairs. "Mom!" He rushes past Mary Margaret and Regina catches him in a hug. "Where have you been?!"

"With Belle," Regina replies. She breaks the hug so she can look at Henry.

"Can I go home with you?"

Henry's request warms Regina's heart and she feels a smile that only Henry, Robin, and Roland can draw out of her creep across her face. "Of course. Let's go home."


End file.
